Bonded [BTSxReader]

2: Pain Tolerance

"When they hurt me, it's okay. I don't feel the pain anyways."

- - - - -

You and Jimin walked side by side as you exited your afternoon classes at Seoul University. It was a lovely, sunny afternoon, and the air was nice today. You took a deep breath, looking around with a smile.

"Well, only one more midterm exam left in our late class, but after that we're finally done!" you exclaim happily.

Jimin gives you a small smile.

"Well, there's only one thing to do to get ready for our last test. Spend it at your house watching television and pretending it doesn't exist," you decide, happily walking ahead to the trail that would take you both back to Jimin's house.

It was a ritual the two of you used to do frequently. Neither of you were exactly stellar students, and back when you were just kids in grade school, you'd go over to Jimin's house and watch television with him instead of studying.

Sure, it was probably a terrible habit, but it became a usual activity. Stressed out? TV. Major test? TV. Hard day with a classmate? TV.

But the TV time, along with other small things you would do together, started changing.

These last few years, something was different about the childhood friend you grew up with. Ever since sophomore year of high school, something shifted. A once bubbly, happy, outgoing boy turned into someone that, sometimes, you couldn't even recognize.

He would act like a husk of a person, walking through the day like a task on a to-do list. Just something that needed to get done.

You had no idea what happened to initiate this change in him, and that's honestly what scared you the most.

However, you were determined to bring him back to the boy you used to know. You knew he was still in there. You just needed to be patient and wait for whatever's coming over him to be finished with.

You glance back to Jimin, smile on your face fading.

"Jimin? What are you doing?"

Jimin was crouched down on the path, looking at a dead cicada on the ground.

You slowly walk back to approach him, confusion littering your face. He doesn't meet your eyes when you approach, gaze still downturned.

"Poor little guy," Jimin says softly.

You stare at the man in both confusion and now worry.

"Jimin..." you say softly, "It's just a bug."

Jimin stares wistfully, slowly standing back up and looking at you with a vacant expression.

"Sorry... what was it that you were saying, y/n?" he asks.